Container cover with sealable arrangement and its method thereof

ABSTRACT

A container cover for sealing a container body includes a cover panel detachably coupling with an opening of the container body to enclose a receiving cavity thereof, and a sealable arrangement which includes a sealing element movably supported underneath the cover panel, and an actuation unit operatively mounted on top of the cover panel to move the sealing element between an unsealed and sealed position. At the unsealed position, the cover panel is free to detachably support at the opening, and at the sealed position, the sealing element is radially and outwardly moved to seal at and bias against the opening edge of the container body so as to seal the receiving cavity in an air-tight manner and to retain the cover panel in position.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a container, and more particularly to acontainer cover with a sealable arrangement, wherein the sealablearrangement not only allows the container cover freely coupling with thecontainer body when the sealable arrangement is held at its unsealedposition but also ensures the container cover sealing with the containerbody when the sealable arrangement is held at its sealed position.

2. Description of Related Arts

It is advantageous for a container to be sealed, so that it is notpermeable to liquid or air, so as to well preserve a content received inthe container. Conventionally, the container has a container cover forsealably covering the container body. For some examples, a desiccant,powder, or such water absorbing material should be kept in an air-tightcontainer to prevent water absorption from the atmosphere. Food itemsmight be kept in an air-tight container to keep them from spoiling.Liquid might be sealed in a container so as to minimize the chance of aspill. In each case, the content of the container may be frequentlyaccessed for removal or further storage, but the content remaining inthe container must be resealed in the original condition for theoriginal reasons. Thus, it is advantageous to provide a container coverthat can repeatedly seal a container in an air-tight manner afterremoval.

A rudimentary form of sealing a container is described in US patenthaving a U.S. Pat. No. 6,923,338. Containers with such a seal rely onmatching ridges on the container and the container cover to create banksagainst liquid flow. Because the container and container cover assemblyrelies on a small pressure between the ridges on the container and thecontainer cover, the fit between the two parts is loose. Regardless ofthe quality of the fit between the interlocking rims of container bodyand cover, there is a significant gas between the ridges. Therefore, thecontainer is relatively permeable to liquid and air.

Another typical type of container body and cover uses multiple ridgesand a screw mechanism for fitting as described in US patents having theU.S. Pat. Nos. 7,503,468 and 7,388,506. In a basic screw sealingassembly, only the interlocking ridges in the screw mechanism is used toseal the container, which may not be as air-tight as desired. In theU.S. Pat. No. 7,503,468, an additional sealing rib is provided toprovide better sealing to the container, while the invention in U.S.Pat. No. 7,388,506 provides a disc or ring mounted at the inner surfaceof the top of the container cover to contact with the edge of theopening of the container to provide a better seal.

Both solutions have the shortcoming that the user must provide a largeamount of force to seal the container properly, and it is difficult forthe user to know when he has applied sufficient force. Neither inventionsolves the problem of requiring a container cover that specifically fitswith the container, because the ridges on the container and thecontainer cover must match each other.

US patent having the U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,867 provides a container coverthat is easier to operate than a screw mechanism and does not requirethat the container be specifically constructed to accommodate thecontainer cover. It does, however, require a container of the correctradius of opening. The container cover features an elastic ring and aplurality of extendable poles starting at the center of the ring andextending out radially; both the ring and the poles are between twocircular boards with radii equal to the relaxed radius of the elasticring; the container cover features an operating mechanism above thecontainer cover, which can be manipulated to cause the extendable polesto push the elastic ring. The container cover is inserted into acontainer with a circular opening of radius slightly larger than theradius of the circular board, and the operating mechanism is operated sothat the extendable poles push the elastic ring against the walls of thecontainer, thereby creating a seal.

Such a seal has the shortcoming of being uneven: The points at which thepoles push against the ring are sealed tightly, but on the arcs betweenthe points of contact between the poles and the ring, the distancebetween the ring and the center of the ring tend to be smaller than thelength of the pole because of the elasticity of the ring. Therefore, theseal provided by such a container cover is weakened at many points alongthe ring. The seal may be improved by increasing the number of poles,but such a solution increases the cost of the container, and therealways remains an unevenness of the seal between where the poles pushagainst the ring and where the poles do not.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A main object of the present invention is to provide a container cover,which has a sealable arrangement for sealing a container body via thecontainer cover in an air-tight and liquid-tight manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container cover,wherein the sealable arrangement not only allows the container coverfreely coupling with the container body when the sealable arrangement isheld at its unsealed position but also ensures the container coversealing with the container body when the sealable arrangement is held atits sealed position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container cover,wherein the sealable arrangement requires a one single operationmovement to move between the unsealed position and the sealed position,so as to simplify the operation of the container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container cover,wherein the sealable arrangement the container cover is securelyretained at the opening of the container body to enclose the receivingcavity thereof when the sealable arrangement is held at its sealedposition.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container cover,wherein the sealable arrangement is able to liquid-and-air-tightly sealthe container body without the use of any tools beyond the containerbody and the container cover.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container cover,which is able to conveniently reseal the same container body after thecontainer cover has been removed from a container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container cover,wherein the opening of the container body for being sealed by thecontainer cover does not require a specific and complicated structurefor receiving the container cover to seal the container body, so as toreduce the manufacturing cost.

Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, a container coverof the present invention comprises:

a container body having a receiving cavity, and an opening definingaround an opening edge; and

a container cover, which comprises:

a cover panel detachably coupling with the opening of the container bodyto enclose the receiving cavity thereof; and

a sealable arrangement which comprises:

a sealing element movably supported underneath the cover panel, whereinthe sealing element has a size smaller than a size of the opening edgeof the container body such that when the cover panel couples at theopening of the container body, the sealing element is encircled withinthe opening edge of the container body; and

an actuation unit operatively mounted on top of the cover panel to movethe sealing element between an unsealed position and a sealed position,wherein at the unsealed position, the cover panel is free to detachablysupport at the opening of the container body, and at the sealedposition, the sealing element is radially and outwardly moved to seal atand bias against the opening edge of the container body so as to sealthe receiving cavity in an air-tight manner and to retain the coverpanel in position.

These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following detailed description,the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of the container with a sealablearrangement according to the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the sealable arrangement according to theabove preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating thecontainer cover freely coupling with the container body when thesealable arrangement is held at its unsealed position.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the sealable arrangement according to thepreferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating thecontainer cover sealing with the container body when the sealablearrangement is held at its sealed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a container with sealablearrangement according to a preferred embodiment of the present inventionis illustrated, wherein said container comprises a container body 10 anda container cover 20.

The container body 10 has a receiving cavity 12 and defines an opening14 around an opening edge 16 of the container body 10. Thus, thecontainer cover 20 is supported at the opening 14 for sealing thereceiving cavity 12 in an air-tight manner.

The container cover 20 comprises a cover panel 22 detachably couplingwith the opening 14 of the container body 10 to enclose the receivingcavity 12 thereof, and a sealable arrangement 30 for air-sealing thereceiving cavity 12 of the container body 10 in an air-tight manner andretaining the cover panel 22 of the container cover 20 in position.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sealablearrangement 30 comprises a sealing element 40 movably providedunderneath the cover panel 22, wherein the sealing element 40 preferablyhas a shaped size generally conform a peripheral edge of the cover panel22, which has a circumference slightly smaller than a peripheralcircumference of the cover panel 22. Therefore, when the container cover20 is supported at the opening 14 of the container body 10, the sealingelement 40 is encircled within the opening edge 16 of the container body10 to allow the cover panel 22 to move freely, as shown in FIG. 2.

According to the preferred embodiment, the cover panel 22 has an uppercovering portion 222 and a lower retaining portion 223, wherein adiameter of the upper covering portion 22 of the cover panel 22 islarger than a diameter of the lower retaining portion 223 thereof todefine a shoulder portion between the upper covering portion 222 and thelower retaining portion 223. In addition, the diameter of the uppercovering portion 22 of the cover panel 22 is at least equal to thediameter of the opening 14 of the container body 10 while the diameterof the lower retaining portion 223 of the cover panel 22 is smaller thanthe diameter of the opening 14 of the container body 10. Therefore, whenthe cover panel 22 is disposed at the opening 14 of the container body10, the shoulder portion of the cover panel 22 is held at the openingedge 16 of the container body 10 at a position that the upper coveringportion 222 of the cover panel 22 is supported on the opening edge 16 ofthe container body 10 while the lower retaining portion 223 of the coverpanel 22 is encircled within the opening edge 16 of the container body10.

Accordingly, the sealable arrangement 30 further comprises an actuationunit 50 provided preferably for being operatively mounted on top of thecover panel 22 to move the sealing element 40 between an unsealedposition and a sealed position. At the unsealed position, as shown inFIG. 2, the cover panel 22 is able to be freely and detachably supportedat the opening 14 of the container body 10. When the sealing element 40is being moved via the actuation unit 50 at the sealed position, asshown in FIG. 3, the sealing element 40 is radially and outwardly movedto seal at and bias against the inner side of the opening edge 16 of thecontainer body 10, so as to seal the receiving cavity 12 in theair-tight manner and to retain the cover panel 22 in position.

As best show in FIG. 3, the sealing element 40 is embodied as a ringshaped sealing element 40, which could be relatively more evenlydistribute a movement force for moving the sealing element 40 betweenthe sealed and unsealed position via the actuation unit 50. It will bereadily appreciated that sealing element 40 may have a variety ofconfiguration having the shaped size to generally conform thecircumference shape of the cover panel 22 for providing a means forsealing the receiving cavity 12 in a deformable manner. For example, thesealing element may also be an ellipse shape. Preferably, the ringshaped sealing element 40 is relatively easy for manufacturing andevenly sealing and supporting at the opening 14 of the container body10.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the sealing element 40 has asize-adjustable diameter, so that when the sealing element 40 is movedto the unsealed position to release the sealing element 40 from theopening edge 16 of the container body 10, the sealing element 40 has adiameter slightly smaller than a diameter of the opening 14, as shown inFIG. 2. Conversely, when the sealing element 40 is moved via theactuation unit 50 at the sealed position, the size-adjustable diameterof the sealing element 40 is larger than the diameter of the opening 14of the container body 10 to bias against an inner surface of the openingedge 16, as shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, while the sealing element 40is encircled within the opening 14, the opening edge 16 of the containerbody 10 will limit the expansion of the sealing element 40. Therefore,even though the size-adjustable diameter of the sealing element 40 atthe sealed position is larger than the diameter of the opening 14 of thecontainer body 10, the sealing element 40 will be deformed to biasagainst the inner surface of the opening edge 16 of the container body10 so as to fittingly match with the diameter of the opening 14 of thecontainer body 10.

It is worth to mention that through the size changeable of the diameterof the sealing element 40, the receiving cavity 12 of the container body10 is able to be completely sealed by enlarging the diameter of thesealing element 40 in the air-tight manner. The sealing element 40 ispreferably made by a deformable material, such as rubber, for applying asealing force thereon, such as squeezing to deform an original shape ofthe sealing element 40 to enlarge the diameter of the sealing element40, so that during the force is applied on the sealing element 40, thecontainer cover 20 is sealing the receiving cavity 12 at the sealedposition. Conversely, when the external force, which may be applied viathe actuation unit 50, is disappeared, the sealing element 40 returns toits original shape for the sealing element 40 detaching from the openingedge 16, so as to return to the unsealed position.

It is appreciated that through the changeable diameter or circumferenceof the sealing element 40, the deformable sealing element 40 is able toincrease its diameter or circumference to firmly contact with theopening edge 16 of the container body 10, so as to entirely seal thereceiving cavity 12 of the container body 10 in the air-tight andwater-tight manner.

The actuation unit 50 is adapted for providing a mechanism for moving ordeforming the sealing element 40 between the sealed and unsealedposition. In the presently preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the actuation unit 50 may further comprises a pressingmember, embodied as a pressing panel 52 supported underneath the coverpanel 22, and a hand-operated member 54 coupled or secured to the coverpanel 22 preferably arranged to lift up the pressing panel 52 forapplying the force on the size-adjustable diameter of the sealingelement 40. In other words, the pressing panel 52 is adapted for beingupwardly and downwardly moved to compress and uncompress the sealingelement 40 at the sealed position and the unsealed positionrespectively.

Accordingly, the sealing element 40, supported at a position between thecover panel 22 and the pressing panel 52, has an upper edge 42 and alower edge 44 to define a slope surface 46 inclinedly extended betweenthe upper edge 42 and the lower edge 44. The upper edge 42 is preferablysupported at a position to bias against a bottom side of the cover panel22, while the lower edge 44 is affixed to a top side of the pressingpanel 52. Thus, when the pressing panel 52 is moved to decrease adistance between the cover panel 22 and the pressing panel 52 to apply acompressing force to the sealing element 40, the sealing element 40 isradially and outwardly extended to increase the diameter orcircumference thereof. In other words, the upper edge 42 of the sealingelement 40 will be forced to radailly and outwardly slide at the bottomside of the cover panel 22 to increase the diameter of the sealingelement 40.

The slope surface 46 is preferred to upwardly and inclinedly extend fromthe pressing panel 52 to the cover panel 22. The pressing panel 52 mayfurther has a groove 521 provided at a peripheral side edge thereof, sothat the lower edge 44 of the sealing element 40 is able to be receivedwithin the groove 521 to affix thereon and to extend toward the bottomside of the cover panel 22. It will be appreciated that the sealingelement 40 may be supported underneath the cover panel 22 in relation toa pressing member by a means for providing the deformation force on thesealing element 40, so that through the diameter change of the sealingelement 40, the container cover 20 is able to seal and unseal thecontainer body 10. Therefore, the sealing member may be elasticallyaffixed on the peripheral edge of the pressing panel 52 and/or thebottom side of the cover panel 22. The slop surface 46 of the sealingelement 40 may be downwardly and inclinedly extended from the coverpanel 22 to the pressing panel 52, as another example.

The hand-operated member 54 further comprises at least one actuationshaft 56 and a pivot handle 58 preferably provided at a position on thetop of the cover panel 22, wherein the pivot handle 58 is preferably foroperatively moving the pressing panel 52 to reduce a distance betweenthe pressing panel 52 and the cover panel 22 through the actuation shaft56. Therefore, the pressing panel 52 is preferred to be lifted to movetoward the bottom side of the cover panel 22 to increase the diameter ofthe sealing member 40 at the sealed position, and to move away the coverpanel 22 to increase the distance between the cover panel 22 and thepressing panel 52 to release the force on the sealing element 40 at theunsealed position.

More specifically, the actuation shaft 56 is upwardly and integrallyextended from a center of the pressing panel 52 through the cover panel22 via one end, and pivotally coupled with the pivot handle 58 via theother end of the actuation shaft 56 at a position that the pivot handle58 is coupled on the top of the cover panel 22 for pivotally lifting thepressing panel 52 between the sealed and unsealed position.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pivot handle 58 has a flatten bottomsurface 581 and a cornering surface 582 extended therefrom. Accordingly,when the pivot handle 58 is pivotally folded at the unsealed position,the flatten bottom surface 581 of the pivot handle 58 is biased againstthe top side of the cover panel 22. When the pivot handle 58 ispivotally folded from the unsealed position to the sealed position, thepivot handle 58 is slid at a position that the cornering surface 582 ofthe pivot handle 58 is biased against the top side of the cover panel22. In other words, once the pivot handle 58 is turned after the cornerbetween the flatten bottom surface 581 and cornering surface 582, thepressing panel 52 is driven to be lifted upwardly.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the cover panel 22 incombination with the pressing panel 52 provides a means for compressingthe sealing element 40 for sealing the receiving cavity 12 and retainingthe container cover 20 at the opening 14 in position. The pressing cover52 may also be provided at a position above the cover panel, so that thepressing panel 52 may be downwardly pressed to increase the diameter ofthe sealing element 40 and retained in position via the actuation unit50.

In the present invention, the actuation shaft 56 is preferred tocoaxially extend from a center portion of the pressing panel 52 througha center portion of the cover panel 22, so that the actuation shaft 56is able to vertically and evenly lift up the pressing panel 52, so as toevenly seal the receiving cavity 12 via evenly compressing the sealingelement 40. As will be appreciated, there are may be two or moreactuation shafts 56 are provided to evenly distribute the compressingforce on the sealing element 40, such as two actuation shafts 541provided at two ends of the diameter of the pressing panel 52 topivotally coupling with a half ring shaped pivot handle respectively tobe pivotally folded between the sealed and unsealed position.

In the presently preferred embodiment, the top side of the cover panel22 has an indented portion 221 having a shape generally conform to thepivot handle 58, which is coupling on the top of the cover panel 22,such that when the pivot handle 58 is pivotally folded to lift up thepressing panel 52, the pivot handle 58 is laying within the indentedportion 221 to substantially form the same surface of the top side ofthe cover panel 22. It is worth to mention that when the pivot handle 58is folded at the sealed position on the same surface of the top coverpanel 22, the containers are capable of being stacked on one another forstorage purpose.

As best shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the pivot handle 58 may have anapproximately ring shape or U shape, so that when the pivot handle 58 ispivotally folded at the unsealed position, the ring or U shaped pivothandle 58 may be easily withheld for removing the container cover 20from the opening 14 of the container body 10. The pivot handle 58 mayalso have a tilting end 5421 for conveniently and pivotally flipping thepivot handle 58, so as to operatively control the sealing element 40between the sealed and unsealed position in the pivotal manner.

A plurality of reinforcing member may further provided at top side ofthe pressing panel 52 and/or the bottom side of the cover panel 22, sothat the actuation unit 50 is able to relatively more efficient toprovide the force for compressing the sealing element 40, so as toincrease the durability of the container cover 20.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the pivot handle 58pivotally driving the actuation shaft 56 to move the pressing panel 52is only one of the examples. There is variety of mechanisms forcompressing the sealing member 40 between the unsealed and sealedposition via changing the diameter or circumference of the sealingelement 40. For other example, the actuation shaft 56 may be actuated tocompress the sealing element 40 through a spiral handle to spirallyrotate the actuation shaft 56 to vertically move a pressing member, suchas pressing panel 52, so as to deform the sealing element 40.

The actuation shaft 56, in this preferred embodiment, may have a throughhole 561 at a pivot end, and the pivot handle 58 may has a pair ofapertures 581, such that the pivot handle 58 may be pivotally secured tothe actuation shaft 56 via a snap pin mechanism. It is worth to mentionthat the pivot handle 58 allows the container cover 20 simply sealing atthe opening 14 of the container body 10 and being retained in position,in such a manner that the container cover 20 is able to convenientlyopen and close the container cover 20 simply via the pivotally foldingmechanism without involving complicated operation. Also, the force forsealing and unsealing the container cover is relatively smaller bysimply applying a force on the pivot handle 58 to fold between theunsealed and sealed position.

The container cover 20 is able to incorporate with any conventionalcontainer body which has an opening size matching the size or shape ofthe container cover 20 for enclosing and sealing the receiving cavitywithin the container body, such as traditional cylindrical shapedcontainer body made by glasses or plastic material.

Accordingly, the operation of the container is shown as the followingsteps.

(1) Dispose the container cover 20 at the container body 10 at theposition that the cover panel 22 of the container cover 20 is freelysupported at the opening 14 of the container body 10 to enclose areceiving cavity thereof while the sealing element 40 of the sealablearrangement 30 is encircled within the opening edge 16 of the containerbody 10.

(2) Actuate the sealing element 40 to move between the unsealed positionand the sealed position. Accordingly, the sealing element 40 is movedbetween the unsealed position and sealed position by adjusting thesize-adjustable diameter of the sealing element 40, in the step (2).

In addition, the step (2) further comprises the steps of (2.1)supporting the pressing panel 52 of the sealable arrangement 30underneath the sealing element 40; (2.2) actuating the hand-operatedmember 54 on top of the cover panel 22 to lift up the pressing panel forcompressing the sealing element 40 between the pressing panel 52 and thecover panel 22 so as to move the sealing element 40 at the sealedposition; and (2.3) actuating the hand-operated member to drop down thepressing panel 52 for uncompressing the sealing element 40, so as tomove the sealing element 40 at the unsealed position, such that thecover panel 22 of the container cover 20 is free to remove from thecontainer body 10.

According to the preferred embodiment, the step (2.2) further comprisesa step of (2.2.1) pivotally folding the pivot handle 58 to lay on thetop surface of the cover panel 22 of the container cover 20, so as tolift up the pressing panel 52 for compressing the sealing element 40.The step (2.3) further comprises a step of (2.3.1) pivotally folding thepivot handle 58 to drop down the pressing panel 52 for uncompressing thesealing element at the unsealed position.

One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of thepresent invention as shown in the drawings and described above isexemplary only and not intended to be limiting.

It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have beenfully and effectively accomplished. The embodiments have been shown anddescribed for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structuralprinciples of the present invention and is subject to change withoutdeparture from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes allmodifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the followingclaims.

1. A container, comprising: a container body having a receiving cavity,and an opening defining around an opening edge; and a container cover,which comprises: a cover panel detachably coupling with said opening ofsaid container body to enclose said receiving cavity thereof; and asealable arrangement which comprises: a sealing element movablysupported underneath said cover panel, wherein said sealing element hasa size smaller than a size of said opening edge of said container bodysuch that when said cover panel couples at said opening of saidcontainer body, said sealing element is encircled within said openingedge of said container body; and an actuation unit operatively mountedon top of said cover panel to move said sealing element between anunsealed position and a sealed position, wherein at said unsealedposition, said cover panel is free to detachably support at said openingof said container body, and at said sealed position, said sealingelement is radially and outwardly moved to seal at and bias against saidopening edge of said container body so as to seal said receiving cavityin an air-tight manner and to retain said cover panel in position. 2.The container, as recited in claim 1, wherein said sealing element,having a ring shape, has a size-adjustable diameter that when saidsealing element is moved at said unsealed position, said size-adjustablediameter is smaller than a diameter of said opening of said containerbody, and when said sealing element is moved at said sealed position,said size-adjustable diameter is larger than said diameter of saidopening of said container body.
 3. The container, as recited in claim 2,wherein said sealing element is made of deformable material that saidsealing element is enabled to be squeezed to increase saidsize-adjustable diameter.
 4. The container, as recited in claim 1,wherein said sealing element has an upper edge, a lower edge, and asloped surface upwardly and outwardly extended from said lower edge tosaid upper edge, such that when said lower edge of said sealing elementis pressed upwardly, said upper edge of said sealing element is radiallyand outwardly pushed to seal at and bias against said opening edge ofsaid container body.
 5. The container, as recited in claim 2, whereinsaid sealing element has an upper edge, a lower edge, and a slopedsurface upwardly and outwardly extended from said lower edge to saidupper edge, such that when said lower edge of said sealing element ispressed upwardly, said upper edge of said sealing element is radiallyand outwardly pushed to seal at and bias against said opening edge ofsaid container body.
 6. The container, as recited in claim 3, whereinsaid sealing element has an upper edge, a lower edge, and a slopedsurface upwardly and outwardly extended from said lower edge to saidupper edge, such that when said lower edge of said sealing element ispressed upwardly, said upper edge of said sealing element is radiallyand outwardly pushed to seal at and bias against said opening edge ofsaid container body.
 7. The container, as recited in claim 1, whereinsaid actuation unit comprises a pressing panel supported underneath saidsealing element and a hand-operated member coupling on said cover paneland arranged to lift up said pressing panel for compressing said sealingelement between said pressing panel and said cover panel so as to movesaid sealing element at said sealed position, and to drop down saidpressing panel for uncompressing said sealing element so as to move saidsealing element at said unsealed position.
 8. The container, as recitedin claim 3, wherein said actuation unit comprises a pressing panelsupported underneath said sealing element and a hand-operated membercoupling on said cover panel and arranged to lift up said pressing panelfor compressing said sealing element between said pressing panel andsaid cover panel so as to move said sealing element at said sealedposition, and to drop down said pressing panel for uncompressing saidsealing element so as to move said sealing element at said unsealedposition.
 9. The container, as recited in claim 6, wherein saidactuation unit comprises a pressing panel supported underneath saidsealing element and a hand-operated member coupling on said cover paneland arranged to lift up said pressing panel for compressing said sealingelement between said pressing panel and said cover panel so as to movesaid sealing element at said sealed position, and to drop down saidpressing panel for uncompressing said sealing element so as to move saidsealing element at said unsealed position.
 10. The container, as recitedin claim 9, wherein said upper edge of said sealing element is biasedagainst a bottom side of said cover panel while said lower edge of saidsealing element is affixed to a top side of said pressing panel suchthat when said pressing panel is lifted up, said upper edge of saidsealing element is radially and outwardly extended to increase saidsize-adjustable diameter of said sealing element.
 11. The container, asrecited in claim 7, wherein said hand-operated member comprises anactuation shaft upwardly, coaxially, and integrally extended from saidpressing panel through said cover panel, and a pivot handle pivotallycoupled with said actuation shaft at a position on top of said coverpanel, in such a manner that when said pivot handle is pivotally movedto lay on said cover panel, said pressing panel is lifted up to reduce adistance between said cover panel and said pressing panel.
 12. Thecontainer, as recited in claim 8, wherein said hand-operated membercomprises an actuation shaft upwardly, coaxially, and integrallyextended from said pressing panel through said cover panel, and a pivothandle pivotally coupled with said actuation shaft at a position on topof said cover panel, in such a manner that when said pivot handle ispivotally moved to lay on said cover panel, said pressing panel islifted up to reduce a distance between said cover panel and saidpressing panel.
 13. The container, as recited in claim 10, wherein saidhand-operated member comprises an actuation shaft upwardly, coaxially,and integrally extended from said pressing panel through said coverpanel, and a pivot handle pivotally coupled with said actuation shaft ata position on top of said cover panel, in such a manner that when saidpivot handle is pivotally moved to lay on said cover panel, saidpressing panel is lifted up to reduce a distance between said coverpanel and said pressing panel.
 14. A method of air-sealing a containerbody with a container cover by a sealable arrangement, comprising thesteps of: (a) disposing said container cover at said container body at aposition that a cover panel of said container cover is freely supportedat an opening of said container body to enclose a receiving cavitythereof while a sealing element of said sealable arrangement isencircled within an opening edge of said container body; and (b)actuating said sealing element to move between an unsealed position anda sealed position, wherein at said unsealed position, said cover panelis free to detachably support at said opening of said container body,and at said sealed position, said sealing element is radially andoutwardly moved to seal at and bias against said opening edge of saidcontainer body so as to seal said receiving cavity in an air-tightmanner and to retain said cover panel in position.
 15. The method asrecited in claim 14 wherein, in the step (b), said sealing element ismoved between said unsealed position and said sealed position byadjusting a size-adjustable diameter of said sealing element such thatat said unsealed position, said size-adjustable diameter of said sealingelement is smaller than a diameter of said opening of said containerbody, and at said sealed position, said size-adjustable diameter of saidsealing element is larger than said diameter of said opening of saidcontainer body.
 16. The method as recited in claim in claim 15 wherein,in the step (b), said sealing element is made of deformable materialthat said sealing element is enabled to be squeezed to increase saidsize-adjustable diameter.
 17. The method as recited in claim in claim 16wherein, in the step (b), said sealing element has an upper edge, alower edge, and a sloped surface upwardly and outwardly extended fromsaid lower edge to said upper edge, such that when said lower edge ofsaid sealing element is pressed upwardly, said upper edge of saidsealing element is radially and outwardly pushed to increase saidsize-adjustable diameter so as to seal at and bias against said openingedge of said container body.
 18. The method as recited in claim in claim17 wherein, in the step (b), said sealing element has an upper edge, alower edge, and a sloped surface upwardly and outwardly extended fromsaid lower edge to said upper edge, such that when said lower edge ofsaid sealing element is pressed upwardly, said upper edge of saidsealing element is radially and outwardly pushed to increase saidsize-adjustable diameter so as to seal at and bias against said openingedge of said container body.
 19. The method, as recited in claim inclaim 16, wherein the step (b) further comprises the steps of: (b.1)supporting a pressing panel of said sealable arrangement underneath saidsealing element; (b.2) actuating a hand-operated member on top of saidcover panel to lift up said pressing panel for compressing said sealingelement between said pressing panel and said cover panel so as to movesaid sealing element at said sealed position; and (b.3) actuating saidhand-operated member to drop down said pressing panel for uncompressingsaid sealing element so as to move said sealing element at said unsealedposition, such that said cover panel of said container cover is free toremove from said container body.
 20. The method, as recited in claim inclaim 18, wherein the step (b) further comprises the steps of: (b.1)supporting a pressing panel of said sealable arrangement underneath saidsealing element; (b.2) actuating a hand-operated member on top of saidcover panel to lift up said pressing panel for compressing said sealingelement between said pressing panel and said cover panel so as to movesaid sealing element at said sealed position; and (b.3) actuating saidhand-operated member to drop down said pressing panel for uncompressingsaid sealing element so as to move said sealing element at said unsealedposition, such that said cover panel of said container cover is free toremove from said container body.
 21. The method, as recited in claim 19,wherein said upper edge of said sealing element is biased against abottom side of said cover panel while said lower edge of said sealingelement is affixed to a top side of said pressing panel such that whensaid pressing panel is lifted up, said upper edge of said sealingelement is radially and outwardly extended to increase saidsize-adjustable diameter of said sealing element.
 22. The method, asrecited in claim 20, wherein a pivot handle of said hand-operated memberis pivotally coupled with said pressing panel that when said pivothandle is pivotally moved to lay on said cover panel, said pressingpanel is lifted up to reduce a distance between said cover panel andsaid pressing panel, and when said pivot handle is pivotally moved awayfrom said cover panel, said pressing panel is dropped down to increasesaid distance between said cover panel and said pressing panel.
 23. Themethod, as recited in claim 21, wherein a pivot handle of saidhand-operated member is pivotally coupled with said pressing panel thatwhen said pivot handle is pivotally moved to lay on said cover panel,said pressing panel is lifted up to reduce a distance between said coverpanel and said pressing panel, and when said pivot handle is pivotallymoved away from said cover panel, said pressing panel is dropped down toincrease said distance between said cover panel and said pressing panel.